Spot Cooling From the Ceiling

Invisible Innovation: Spot Cooling From the Ceiling

The cost-effective solution to keep data centers cool - and keep floor space free

LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 4 - Data centers are always vulnerable to heat. Servers jammed into a small space start overheating quickly. By supplementing an existing air conditioning system, it's possible to cool hot spots in a cost-effective manner.


One of the newest spot cooling innovations being used in data centers is MovinCool's CM12, a ceiling unit that can be installed quickly -- and permanently. At 15.5" tall, the CM12 is the only spot cooling solution on the market designed specifically to fit into drop ceiling spaces. It has 10,500 Btu and runs on a standard 115V, 15amp, which means there is no special electrical required.


DP Air in Phoenix, a recognized leader in designing and maintaining secure, high-technology data centers, HVAC and environmental control systems, has already turned to the device for several customers. Kevin McSpadden, regional manager at DP Air, describes how a freight company benefits from this solution.


"The original building A/C was designed with certain load CFM (cubic feet per minute) for certain square footage," McSpadden says. "The freight company had a little test lab -- an IDF closet -- that could no longer maintain temperature. It wasn't cost-effective to go in and put a large system in and redo it. Ducting, rebalancing -- these weren't a solution."


The test lab had a return-air plenum above ceiling, which allowed McSpadden's team to discharge the condenser air into the plenum. "We were able to install the CM12 very quickly," McSpadden says. "It's out of sight. It doesn't use any floor space. It operates off its own stat and only runs as required, so it's a very good application."


The ceiling device brought additional pluses as well, according to McSpadden. "It runs on 110 volt, so the electrical installation costs were pretty low. You can run off a 110-volt, 20-amp circuit, which is easy to get in a building. And it's not a split system, so you don't have to penetrate the roof or go to the perimeter of the building and put a condenser outside. And there's no core drilling."


It's an easy solution for building owners or managers to approve, according to McSpadden. "The capital expenditure is very, very small. For installation, you can do a quick one-liner or draw and submit to the building owner or the building facility people. It's not a very detailed or intricate design. It's one supply duct in, one return duct out," he says. "There are four anchors. You can move it to another site if you want to. So there's very little infrastructure impact.


"When all is said and done, the CM12 is cost-effective, doesn't use any floor space and has very little impact to the building," McSpadden says. (PRN)


For more information on the CM12 or other MovinCool products, visit http://www.movincool.com/